After the intial dissapointment that was our attempt at Port Talbot's, Afan Lido, UrbanGhost and I were not going to waste a journey down to my parents. I suggested we try Swansea City's old football ground.
Let me begin by saying this was my ultimate Urbex. I have been a Swansea City fan for the last 17 years, My father used to take me as a young boy, we used to stand on the North Bank every other Saturday. This has been done before a few years ago, but, not to be disrespectful, the report didn't do this magical place justice.
Opened in 1912, the ground held around 12,000 at the time of its closure, but upwards of 30,000 at its peak. I attended the last game at this stadium before our move to the Libery Stadium, in a Welsh Cup Final, where we triumphed against Wrexham, and I have my old season ticket seat in my garden to prove it!
Swansea City FC made the move to our new stadium at the end of the 2004/2005 season, and the ground has lay dormant ever since. The initial plan was to demolish the ground and build housing and a community cente, with the recession amongst other things, the project collapsed and for the last few years, doubt has surrounded what's actually going to happen with it, with various parties interested and a variety of projects proposed.
This was until just over a week ago, it was announced in the local news that a local group, Cuddy, had taken over the demolition of the site. After hearing this, I had to take the oppourtunity to check out the site, a place that was almost my second home for 10 years, and my father for as long as he can remember.
This place has been notorious for being on complete lock down, with many people I know lasting less than 10 minutes inside, luckily, UrbanGhost and I had a good 4 hours mooch around, until it started hammering down with rain and the gusts of wind rolling from the seafont through the empty stands.
As we sat in the rotting stands, rain lashing down and the wind bellowing, It brought back many memories of Tuesday night games in the old division three.
For me, getting to stand on the North Bank one last time made this the most very personal urbex imaginable.
Finally, big thanks to UrbanGhost who was my partner in crime on this explore.
Apollogies for the lack of quality in the pictures, i'm still gettin to grips with my DSLR.
1. South Stand corridor
2. South Stand looking towards the Family Stand
3. Long South Stand shot
4. thexhangman sitting in the Directors Box
5. Directors Box
6. Directors and Guest Area, South Stand
7. View of the West Stand (Away supporters)
8. Players changing room
9. Kit Room, where the numbers ran from 1 through to 27
10. UrbanGhost and thexhangman in the players bath
11. Taking a bath
12. View of the East Stand (Family) with the Away supporters half time hut
13. The LEGENDARY North Bank
14. South Stand logo, infamous for being the wrong around
15. The pitch, Family and West stand
16. Sunrise along the North Bank
17. The spot my Dad used to bring me as a boy
18. thexhangman & UrbanGhost on the pitch (Apollogies for the poor light)
As mentioned earlier, this was a very personal experience for me, a place I spent so much time in my youth, a place I thought i'd never get to explore again. Hope you enjoyed.
Let me begin by saying this was my ultimate Urbex. I have been a Swansea City fan for the last 17 years, My father used to take me as a young boy, we used to stand on the North Bank every other Saturday. This has been done before a few years ago, but, not to be disrespectful, the report didn't do this magical place justice.
Opened in 1912, the ground held around 12,000 at the time of its closure, but upwards of 30,000 at its peak. I attended the last game at this stadium before our move to the Libery Stadium, in a Welsh Cup Final, where we triumphed against Wrexham, and I have my old season ticket seat in my garden to prove it!
Swansea City FC made the move to our new stadium at the end of the 2004/2005 season, and the ground has lay dormant ever since. The initial plan was to demolish the ground and build housing and a community cente, with the recession amongst other things, the project collapsed and for the last few years, doubt has surrounded what's actually going to happen with it, with various parties interested and a variety of projects proposed.
This was until just over a week ago, it was announced in the local news that a local group, Cuddy, had taken over the demolition of the site. After hearing this, I had to take the oppourtunity to check out the site, a place that was almost my second home for 10 years, and my father for as long as he can remember.
This place has been notorious for being on complete lock down, with many people I know lasting less than 10 minutes inside, luckily, UrbanGhost and I had a good 4 hours mooch around, until it started hammering down with rain and the gusts of wind rolling from the seafont through the empty stands.
As we sat in the rotting stands, rain lashing down and the wind bellowing, It brought back many memories of Tuesday night games in the old division three.
For me, getting to stand on the North Bank one last time made this the most very personal urbex imaginable.
Finally, big thanks to UrbanGhost who was my partner in crime on this explore.
Apollogies for the lack of quality in the pictures, i'm still gettin to grips with my DSLR.
1. South Stand corridor
2. South Stand looking towards the Family Stand
3. Long South Stand shot
4. thexhangman sitting in the Directors Box
5. Directors Box
6. Directors and Guest Area, South Stand
7. View of the West Stand (Away supporters)
8. Players changing room
9. Kit Room, where the numbers ran from 1 through to 27
10. UrbanGhost and thexhangman in the players bath
11. Taking a bath
12. View of the East Stand (Family) with the Away supporters half time hut
13. The LEGENDARY North Bank
14. South Stand logo, infamous for being the wrong around
15. The pitch, Family and West stand
16. Sunrise along the North Bank
17. The spot my Dad used to bring me as a boy
18. thexhangman & UrbanGhost on the pitch (Apollogies for the poor light)
As mentioned earlier, this was a very personal experience for me, a place I spent so much time in my youth, a place I thought i'd never get to explore again. Hope you enjoyed.
